Environmental science and conservation news
Summary
- They also say that, if accepted by the government, the plan would legitimize the oil palm plantations currently operating illegally inside forest areas.
- “Oil palm entering forest area will speed up the loss of natural forests,” he said in a Dec. 7 online seminar.
- Arie Rompas, Greenpeace Indonesia forest campaigner, said there’s no guarantee that this won’t happen if oil palm is categorized as a forest crop.
- He noted that “there have been past attempts at whitewashing” the illegal cultivation of oil palm plantations inside forest area.
- Short of that, Indonesia’s palm oil industry will continue to be perceived as environmentally unsustainable, Sigit added.